


Do it All Over Again

by flutterpen, thedragonfly



Series: Drift/Ratchet stories [2]
Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, Ratchet/Drift/Perceptor if you squint, Ratchet/Perceptor hinted, Tropes:History Repeats
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-20
Updated: 2017-07-29
Packaged: 2018-04-27 08:24:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5041129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flutterpen/pseuds/flutterpen, https://archiveofourown.org/users/thedragonfly/pseuds/thedragonfly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What would you do if given warning and a second chance? Ratchet relives Drift's exile from the Lost Light. Will he stay behind or go with the mech he loves?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This comes at the end of MTMTE #16 "The Gloaming"
> 
>  
> 
> The musical inspiration for this comes out of my dratchet playlist.
> 
> For Drift: [Down by Jason Walker](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvGYYg40Ijw)  
> For Ratchet (in order): [Won't Go Home Without You by Maroon 5](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlMEGBsw6j8)  
> [Undisclosed Desires by Muse](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8OOWcsFj0U)

“... I hereby revoke the rite of autobrand and cast you out. A shuttle has been prepared. You leave immediately,” Rodimus was saying.

Drift headed for the shuttle feeling pretty low, but he felt responsible for what had happened. Someone threw a pipe at the back of Drift’s helm, causing the swordsmech to stumble.

Ratchet grimaced at the sight of the pipe thrown at Drift’s helm, but stayed quiet. He stepped forward out of the mass, bending down and extending a hand to Drift.

Drift took the hand, recognizing it. He regretted leaving and he hadn't gotten around to telling the medic something. Now he wouldn’t get the chance.

Ratchet helped the kid back up to his pedes and let go of him once he was standing. ‘Was it true? Had Drift really brought Overlord onboard?’ He didn’t want to believe it was possible, but Rodimus had just said that the swordsmech admitted to that.

Drift stared at the medic memorizing him and then moved to get on the shuttle away from his former friend.

Ratchet watched Drift board the shuttle and turned away to head back to his medibay. He still had a few more patients to treat before he could retire to his habsuite.

At the end of his shift in the medibay, Ratchet turned to First Aid, “You’re in charge, Aid,” he said and shuffled out into the corridor to head to his habsuite.

Perceptor spotted Ratchet from where he had been waiting. “Ratchet,” he called striding up to the medic.

“Perceptor,” Ratchet said, tiredly, as he stopped and turned to face the scientist. “What can I do for you?” he asked.

“You don’t really think he is responsible for what happened, do you?” Perceptor asked.

“Of course I don’t think he’s responsible,” Ratchet said. “He probably took responsibility for the irresponsible twit of a captain like he always does – did...” He started off ranting, and somewhere in the middle of the sentence he grew sad, realizing that he might not ever get a chance to see Drift again

Perceptor blinked. “Ratchet are you alright?” he asked.

Ratchet grabbed Perceptor by the arm and walked the scientist to his own habsuite as he punched in the code. The door opened and he let go of Perceptor’s arm, entering his suite. The lights turned on inside and Ratchet turned around to face Perceptor, “You’re welcome to come in and talk... if you want...” he said, sitting on his couch and pinching the bridge of his nose with a thumb and finger.

Perceptor accepted the invitation walking in and sitting down.

When the door closed behind Perceptor, Ratchet moved his hand from his face and his face looked pained. “I shouldn’t have let him go alone, Perce,” Ratchet started to say. 

“I was... am feeling the same way,” Perceptor said reaching out to take Ratchet’s hand.

“Shouldn’t have let Rodimus do this to him,” Ratchet said, his voice a mixture of anger at their captain and grief over losing Drift. He pulled Perceptor towards him, seeking the warmth of another frame, whose occupant seemed to share the same mindset.

Perceptor blinked but wrapped his arms around the medic who needed as much comfort as he did at the moment it seemed

“... Never admitted it to anyone, even him, but I love the kid, Perce....” Ratchet said, wrapping his arms around the scientist and holding him close.

Perceptor chuckled. “Me too,” he said. “After he saved my life.”

“Dead end. He was my patient...” Ratchet got out. “Knew he had potential...” 

The medic’s frame shifted in Perceptor’s arms, and warm optical fluid fell to his shoulders with a soft _tink tink tink_ as Ratchet’s composed demeanor shattered. Perceptor patted the medic’s back unsure of what else to do to comfort the now crying medic. He tilted his helm to kiss Ratchet’s cheek.

Ratchet’s shaking finally stopped as he ran out of tears. He managed to pull himself together to sit up straight feeling embarrassed at what he had done in Perceptor’s arms as he wiped at his optics with the back of a hand. 

“Feeling better?” Perceptor asked looking at the mech.

“Only slightly,” Ratchet admitted. “He’s still gone. And oh Primus! I wish I had the chance to do today all over again.”

“Really?” Perceptor said.

“Absolutely,” Ratchet said, nodding his helm and leaning sideways against Perceptor. He felt tired before meeting Perceptor in the hall; now he felt absolutely exhausted, having spent the last of his energy.

“I’ll leave you to recharge now,” Perceptor said. “But first I’ll help you to your berth.” He stepped off the couch and offered Ratchet some help up.

Ratchet managed a smile for Perceptor as he allowed the scientist to help him to his pedes. Perceptor guided Ratchet to his berth, laying him down and covering him with the thermal blanket.

Under normal conditions Ratchet would have protested such attempts at being coddled and tucked into his berth, but he allowed himself to relax under Perceptor’s care, optics already dimmed. He looked up at Perceptor, “Thanks,” he mumbled.

"We've had a bad day. It is understandable," Perceptor said. "Recharge well, Ratchet."

Ratchet managed a hint of a smile for his friend before recharge claimed him.

* * *

Ratchet was not a believer in Primus by any stretch, if anything he was more of an atheist. At that moment however, Primus was listening to Ratchet’s prayer, as irreligious as it was said and meant in that moment of offering. 

Ratchet awoke to the next morning feeling refreshed and got about his day. The early portions of his day seemed eerily familiar to the cycle before. And when Rodimus called for an all-hands meeting on the bridge later that day, the medic knew in advance what was about to happen.

Somehow, for whatever reason, he was being given a chance to repeat yesterday (or was it today?). 

Ratchet hurriedly walked down the corridor to Perceptor’s lab, knocking loudly on the door. “Percy! Perceptor...” he called.

Percy opened the door. "Yes, Ratchet how may I help you?" He asked.

“Rodimus is going to banish Drift today,” Ratchet said.

"Why ever would he do that," Perceptor said. "They are like best friends."

“Because Drift is taking the fall. And Perceptor...” Ratchet said, “Thank you for last night, tonight...” the medic closed the gap and kissed Perceptor on the cheek then turned around and left for the bridge.

Perceptor blinked putting away the rest of the tools and headed for the bridge.

Once again, the crew was gathered on the bridge and once again Rodimus exiled Drift off the ship, snatching off Drift’s Autobrand.

Drift headed for the shuttle feeling pretty low, but he felt responsible for what had happened. Someone threw a pipe at the back of Drift’s helm, causing the swordsmech to stumble.

Ratchet ran over to Drift’s side, helping the swordsmech back up to his pedes and putting himself between Drift and the crowds. “Rodimus!” he yelled up at the captain. “If you banish Drift from this ship, you banish me too!”

"Wha.. Ratchet!" Rodimus said shocked by the medic’s actions. He had thought of having the medic on the ship as such a good thing, but now this.

"No, Ratchet," Drift said as much as he felt somewhat happier the one mech he had loved in secret. "The ship...the Lost Light needs you."

Ratchet grabbed the bottom corner of the autobrand logo on his chest and tore it off. He winced slightly at the pain, but crumpled the piece of metal in his hand and threw it at Rodimus. He reached down blindly for Drift’s hand, grabbing it and squeezing it gently. 

"Ratchet," Drift said unsure what to think.

Ratchet turned around and faced Drift, putting one hand on Drift’s damaged finial, this thumb stroking the swordsmech's cheek. “Kid.... Drift... I'll say out here in front of the entire Lost Light because losing you, losing any possible future between us is more than I could ever stand. Ever since the Dead End, I've loved you. I've been too much of a coward to say anything before. But I love you Drift.” There. He said it. His spark was laid out bare for Drift before the entire crew. And if Rodimus was going to exile Drift, then dammit! he was going with Drift.

"Let's go then before he changes his processor," Drift said quietly grinning. Ratchet loved him?! He grabbed Ratchet’s hand and pulled him towards the shuttle.

Ratchet followed Drift to the shuttle and got inside. Drift leaned over kissing the medic. ::Love you too, Ratchet,:: he said. He broke the kiss taking the pilot's seat and getting ready to leave the lost light.

Ratchet sat himself in the co-pilot’s seat, helping Drift out. He tried not to let his processor wander back to that short kiss. ::First Aid, you're in charge of the medbay now. Good luck and you've earned it,:: he told his protégé.

Drift steered the shuttle off the Lost Light flying away from them, he didn't look back. He picked an asteroid and set the autopilot, he wanted, needed more time to show Ratchet how he felt.

Ratchet turned to face Drift. “This is gonna sound crazy, but I knew you were going to be banished today.” He rubbed his face with a hand. “This is the second time I've done today; yesterday I just let Rodimus banish you. I ended up in my habsuite crying on Perceptor’s shoulders. And then by whatever miracle, I got a second chance.”

Drift leaned over kissing Ratchet hard on the lips. ::I would say thank Primus,:: he replied.

Ratchet reached over, settling his hands on Drift’s sides, returning the kiss. Drift licked at the medic's lips enjoying the kiss and reached up touching the medic's chevron.

Ratchet pulled Drift into his lap, wrapping his arms around the swordsmech, a small moan escaping him from the touch to his chevron. With considerable effort, Ratchet broke the kiss and looked at Drift. “That was all something Rodimus put you up to wasn’t it? Taking responsibility for Overlord on the ship...”

"Not entirely," Drift said. "Can we not talk about that now."

Ratchet gently turned Drift’s helm to the side, his medical protocols online and overriding some other processes. He pulled out a scanner and ran it over the finial that had been damaged.

Drift let him examine the finial enjoying the medic’s touch and the silence. 

Ratchet numbed some of the sensors in the finial. Most of his medical supplies were on the ship and the damage would heal by itself. With his medical programming satisfied, Ratchet gently ran his fingers down the finial, smiling and he kissed Drift on the cheek. Drift smiled turning to kiss Ratchet’s cheek back. 

Ratchet pulled Drift against him again as he sat back in the co-pilot’s chair. He lovingly stroked the swordsmech’s back, beside the Great Sword.


	2. Chapter 2

As Ratchet cuddled Drift on the tiny slab that could barely be called a berth in the shuttle, he watched the swordsmech fall into recharge. He wrapped his arm around the mech, softly stroking down his backstrut plates as he thought. ‘ _I wish it didn’t have to come to the fragging banishment. Drift and Rodimus were **supposed** to be friends...._ ’ he thought.

Ratchet kissed Drift on the small crest on his forehead before settling down to recharge.

Suddenly Ratchet found himself back on the Lost Light in the corridor outside the co-captain’s offices.

Ratchet gasped and reached for the wall to stabilize himself after the sudden shift. He looked around to gain his orientation and listened to the sounds coming from inside the office.

“Send me, blame me,” Drift said. “You need to be here.” Talking to Rodimus.

Ratchet frowned, trying to decide from where he had heard this before. “Drift... no...” he whispered against the door. Not wanting to listen anymore, Ratchet pushed the door opened and walked into the office.

Drift turned to see who it was. For all he knew it could have been Ultra Magnus. But he wasn’t expecting Ratchet. “Rat...Doctor,” he said.

Rodimus, in the similar predicament, turned to the door. “Ratchet? What....?”

The flame-colored mech didn’t get a chance to finish the rest of his question as Ratchet stomped into the office. 

Drift blinked surprised by how angry Ratchet appeared, wondering if he should duck behind Rodimus’ desk in case of flying wrenches.

Ratchet finished marching into the office, getting chest-to-chest with the co-captain of the ship. He jabbed a finger at the top of the mech’s chest. “You best be re-thinking your choices right now, Co-Captain Rodimus,” he snarled. 

“Wha...what do you mean, Ratchet?” Rodimus asked taking a step back

“There is no way in Pit, I am letting you banish your best friend, your amica endura, off this ship for your own slagging cowardice to stand up to Prowl,” Ratchet growled, as he pointed at Drift without even taking optics off the captain.

“Wha...how did you?” Rodimus blurted, his jaw dropping.

“That doesn’t matter right now,” Ratchet groused. He spun around on a heel strut and faced Drift. “You need to stop taking the blame for this egotistical, aft-headed piece of slag and let him make his own damned mistakes. You’re too damned good for him. Maybe if he made some mistakes, he’d learn from them.”

“Ratchet, the Lost Light needs someone to blame but they also need a leader,” Drift said. “I’m no leader.”

“The hell you aren’t...” Ratchet muttered. “Blame Prowl. He’s the one who put Overlord in here, isn’t he?”

Drift looked over at Rodimus. “Yes,” he said.

“So I just blame Prowl?” Rodimus said. “And let them lose their tempers.”

“Maybe you could try taking some responsibility for once,” Ratchet said, turning around and punching Rodimus on the side of the helm with a right fist.

Rodimus growled stepping back and moved to hit Ratchet but Drift quickly stepped in.

Ratchet looked at the swordsmech. “Drift... I’m sorry,” he started, steadying his vents to calm himself down again. “I couldn’t do it again. I couldn’t stand by and watch you get banished again. Watch the crew.... watch your face... it tore me apart....”

“Banished?” Drift said blinking at Ratchet. “How do you know?”

“Primus or some other deity.... and no this doesn’t mean I believe.... has been messing with me and sending me back in time to key moments...” Ratchet said. “I’ve already watched Rodimus banish you twice. He stripped you of your Autobrand and sent you away on a shuttle. The crew threw a pipe at your helm...” He stopped, turning his helm down to stare at a tile on the floor, balling his hands into fists as the memory file replayed itself unbidden.

“Says the medic who doesn’t believe in Primus,” Rodimus snorted. Drift spun back around to glare at Rodimus. “Sorry.”

“After you left, I went back to my habsuite and chatted with Perceptor,” Ratchet said, leaving out the part with the scientist consoling him. “Somehow I was back at the time when you were banished again. This time I told Rodimus that I was leaving with you.... on the shuttle, I was falling into recharge... and then I was outside the office...”

“Maybe Primus or someone agrees with you and thinks Rodimus should take some responsibility,” Drift said “But why did you choose to leave with me, Ratchet?”

 

Ratchet steps up to Drift and kisses him without hesitation as his right hand finds its way to rest on the swordsmech’s hip. Drift returned the kiss.

Rodimus whistled. “About time doc,” he said.

Ratchet ignored the captain behind him as he pulled Drift closer to him. Drift happily moaned in the kiss, oblivious to Rodimus.

“Could go somewhere else and continue this,” Rodimus said.

Ratchet broke the kiss to look at Drift, opening his optics (when had he closed them?), still ignoring Rodimus. “I hope that answers your question, Drift. Though I do believe the annoying brat of a captain has a point.... we could continue this elsewhere.”

“Yes, yes, please,” Rodimus said.

Ratchet walked to the door of the office, waiting to see Drift’s response. The swordsmech followed the medic, happily. 

Ratchet stopped at the door, turning to look at Rodimus. “I expect to not have to watch Drift get banished a third time, Rodimus.” He slipped an arm around Drift’s shoulder, discussing with the mech where they should go talk.

“Right, right,” Rodimus said sitting at his desk. The kissing had made him feel lonely. He missed Flutter. Maybe he’d have to visit Magnus sometime soon.


End file.
